Scallop, Bay

Published on

January 23, 2014

A small cousin of sea scallops, bay scallops average 70 to 100 meats per pound. They are dredged, raked or tonged from bays, harbors and salt ponds along the East Coast from Atlantic Canada to North Carolina and processed ashore. They are also farmed in Nova Scotia and New England in suspended systems. A less expensive, farmed bay scallop is imported from China. Though there is a niche market in the United States for whole, live scallops, the product typically seen on the market is actually just part of the whole animal; the guts are removed and discarded, leaving just the adductor muscle, which is the edible meat. The meats are available “wet” (soaked in a preservative like tripolyphosphate, which whitens the scallop and extends shelf life) or “dry” (untreated). Oversoaked scallops look artificially shiny, opaque and flabby and will have a soapy feel and aftertaste. They will also release more liquid and shrink more when cooked.

Introduction
Product Profile
Nutrition Facts
Cooking Tips
Cooking Methods
Global Supply

Scientific Name:

Argopecten irradians

Market Name:

Scallop, bay scallop

Common Name:

Cape Cod, Cape, Long Island or Peconic scallop, China bay

French Name:

Pecten

German Name:

Kammuschel

Italian Name:

Ventaglio

Japanese Name:

Itayagai

Spanish Name:

Vieira

Introduction:

Product Profile:

Mild and sweet, bay scallops are considered the best-tasting of the scallop species. Raw, the lean, cork-shaped meat is translucent, with color ranging from creamy to pink. The texture should be firm and moist, not slippery and spongy. Cooked meat is opaque white and firm.Top-quality scallops should have an ivory translucence and elastic springiness that allows them to keep their shape. Fresh bay scallops smell sweet and seaweedy. They should not be sitting in water. Sour-smelling scallops — especially with overtones of iodine — should be rejected.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories:	87
Fat Calories:	7
Total Fat:	0.8 g
Saturated Fat:	0.8 g
Cholesterol:	33 mg
Sodium:	161 mg
Protein:	16.8 g
Omega 3:	0.2 g

Cooking Tips:

Bay scallops are small and cook quickly. While scallops are most commonly eaten cooked, bays are sometimes enjoyed raw because of their size and freshness. However, consumers in high-risk categories should avoid eating all raw shellfish. For a scallop ceviche, use lemon or lime juice to “cook” the tender meats. Steam gently for use in salads. Don’t overcook; scallops will toughen and lose flavor. They’re done as soon as the outside of the meat turns opaque.

Substitutions:

Sea scallops, Calico scallops

Cooking Methods: